The Most Expensive Military in the World Lost Every War Since WWII

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart 

Most Americans Continue to Struggle 

I begin with a serious question: when will the quality of life for all Americans become the focus of our nation’s government? I am an original baby boomer. I learned at a very young age that the end of WWII was the beginning of the next military conflict for America. As long as I can remember, our government and its military have been preparing for the next war. 

America has Never Prepared for Peace 

The truth is that in 2024, the American people pay the least amount of tax in the world of developed nations. Many of our wealthiest citizens and largest corporations pay zero dollars in taxes, or a very minimal percentage of their gross incomes. The truth is that the United States tax code is 6,871 pages long. Most of those pages are “loopholes” for the super-rich, allowing them to reduce their tax liability. 

The United States Spends Five Times More on its Military than All Other Nations Combined 

America’s annual funding for the military is nearing one-trillion dollars. Watchdog groups continue to claim that 50 cents out of every dollar goes to waste.  

A significant percentage of the Pentagon’s expensive toys never work properly. The two big stories involve the F-15 fighter, and the Bradley tank. 

Cost overruns, and delays make the F-15 the most expensive war machine in history. In tests against older aircraft, it failed miserably. They remain a work in progress. 

In a military base, located in northern California, there are warehouses filled with Bradley tanks. They are simply gathering dust. However, a factory in Pennsylvania continues to build parts for the fighting machines. Each tank costs 3.2 million dollars. Our military leaders fail to prepare for the type of wars we will face over the decades in our future. 

At the same time, Republicans demand reductions in social programs. Although Social Security is fully funded by working Americans and their employers, many right-wing politicians plan to end both Social Security and Medicare. Remember, America is the only country in the world without universal healthcare for all at little or no cost. Older Americans are forced to pay for healthcare a second time after working for 40-50 years. 

Politicians love to tell our nation’s people two big lies. First, they claim that we are “the greatest country in the world.” We are not even close. We are a racist and bigoted nation, but most importantly, in the world of developed nations, we are last in the quality of life. 

At least one-half of all Americans struggle in the low-income level demographic, or below the poverty line. 

Second, they brag about our nation’s claim that “America is the richest country in the world.” This is only true if you are one of 765 billionaires, or one of our country’s 22 million millionaires. There are two Americas: one enjoyed by less than 10 percent of our nation's people, and the other where more than 90 percent work hard to provide for their family's basic needs and their future.  

One of America’s Two Major Parties Ignores the Majority and Created Today’s Plutocracy 

Money is truly the root of all evil. It is a drug more addictive than all others combined. Republicans are without a doubt the party of special interests. They are owned by our country’s billionaires. Over the last 43 years our capitalistic society has escalated into a Plutocracy.  

The super-rich tell today’s pretend Republicans how to vote on every issue. If a law would result is a lessening of their profits, these greedy men and women demand a negative vote from their minions.  

Lobbies are Unconstitutional 

The super-rich created lobbies as a go-between. Lobbyists are allowed inside the Capitol Building and instruct right-wing politicians how to vote on every issue.  

Lobbies are unconstitutional. The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law. Working class Americans have no lobbyists in Washington. There is no one in our nation’s capital whose sole purpose is to fight for the needs and wishes of the majority. This is clearly a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. 

However, this is just another example of how our government has become the most corrupt in the world. All 545 elected officials in Washington share a common purpose: to serve the people. However, in 2024 they rule over us. They ignore our pleas for legislation which would improve our lives. They simply don’t care as long as they are allowed to continue their own lives of luxury and privilege. 

Most Americans Have No Representation in Washington 

Income inequality continues to be ignored by all three branches of our government. It is a growing problem. The last two Decennial Census’ revealed that, adjusting for inflation, the average American worker has not received a raise in nearly 40 years. 

Inflation has become an even bigger problem today. Millions of Americans, including myself and my wife, live on fixed incomes. Our grocery bill alone has increased by 35-50 percent, depending on the store. Other costs including utilities and trash removal have escalated. All this adds up to one fact: our income has been reduced. The small increases we receive annually in Social Security fail to cover the rising cost of necessities.  

Priorities 

Our government has refused to place our people first since the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945. Their primary interests are the military and profits for the super-rich. 

Our national motto was once, “E Pluribus Unum:” From Many, One. 

However, today it has become “Profits Before People.” 

Op-ed by James Turnage 

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